Heisman Trophy

My ballot and explanation is below. But first, a quick note on the process …

The Heisman Trust has cracked down on voters making ballots public before the award presentation. The more ballots on the web, the easier for tracking sites to predict the outcome before it’s official, thus sapping the hour-long show of drama.

It’s unfortunate, but it’s also the Trust’s right. Voters are asked to click a box agreeing to the restrictions before casting their vote. Release your ballot ahead of time and you risk having it revoked permanently.

Several of my colleagues have resigned from the electorate over the crackdown. Others have made eloquent cases against it.

It’s entirely a personal decision that depends, to a certain extent, on your view of transparency.

From this corner of the galaxy: Ballots should absolutely be made public, but it’s not essential that publication comes before the award is presented.

This time last year, USC quarterback Matt Barkley was everyone’s Heisman Trophy frontrunner and Johnny Manziel was a little-known freshman at Texas A&M.

With that reference point, here are five players to watch not nicknamed Johnny Autograph … err, Football:

* Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater

Has the pre-season hype required to win the Heisman while playing for Louisville – and with Louisville playing in the American Athletic Conference (formerly the Big East).

* South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney

The nation’s top overall talent and likely No. 1 draft pick would be the first pure defensive player to win the Heisman. (Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson, who won the ’97 Heisman, also returned punts.)